League Champions Provincial Champions 12 Wins, 0 Losses
The Wetaskiwin Composite
High School Sabres football program dates back to 1953. Over the
decades there have been some powerful and successful teams. From 1954 to
1958 the Sabres had a run of five consecutive league championships, and
from 1975 to 2006, the Sabres teams won 10 league championships. To
date, the 2006 WCHS Sabres Football team is the most successful WCHS
football team. This football team not only won the league championship
but became the first and only WCHS football team to win the Provincial
Championship. The 2006 Sabre’s season was perfect with a 12-0 win-loss
record. Besides being champions the fellows on this team were dedicated
and hardworking athletes. They showed commitment, leadership, mental
and physical toughness. They were great ambassadors of Wetaskiwin. Their
accomplishments and attributes make the members of this team worthy of
induction into the Wetaskiwin and County Sports Hall of Fame.
Wetaskiwin Composite High
School
2006
Sabres Football Team
(Click to enlarge photos and view names of players)
Unbeatable 2006 WCHS
Sabres Football Team is Most Successful WCHS Football Team.
The 2006 Sabres played six
league games in the Central Alberta High School Football League that was
comprised of nine teams. In 2005 the Sabres had lost in the league
finals and the Provincial semi-finals, and among the returning coaches
and players, the sting of the season-ending defeats carried over into the
2006 season. They pledged to complete “Unfinished Business”, and this
phrase became the team’s slogan during the 2006 season. The first game
of the season was held on Sept 8th. Before the game there was a ceremony
to “Turn on the Lights at Norm Brown Field”. The lights were installed
with money provided by a Community Facility Enhancement Provincial Grant
and are a wonderful asset to the city and the WCHS football program.
The Sabres won the game 40-10 over the visiting Lacombe Rams, and it was
the start of and set the tone for a dominating year for the Sabres.
The Pledge to Complete
“Unfinished Business”
Results in
Overwhelming Victories
During the 2006 season,
the Sabres performed in a powerhouse manner. They won every regular
season game overwhelming their opposition by scoring an average of 44.7
points per game and limiting scoring against them to an unbelievable
average of 6.7 points per game. The Sabres led the league in all
categories: offence, defence, and special teams. They had the highest
average and totals on offence in rushing, pass receiving, and pass
completion. The stats for points against shows the strength of the
defence.
In the league
semi-final the Sabres defeated the Stettler Wildcats 21-7, and in the league finals
against the H.J. Cody Sylvan Lake Lakers the Sabres won 43-14. Led by
the offence and very strong play by the defence, the Sabres dominated
the game after the first quarter. It was a satisfying victory to defeat
the team which had defeated them the year previous.
Playing at Norm Brown
Field in the Alberta Schools Athletic Association (ASAA) Tier III
Provincial quarter-final, the Sabres won over the St. Paul Regional Lions
of the Wheatland League 37-0. In the semi-final game played at Foote
Field at the U of A against the Holy Trinity Trojans of the Metro
Edmonton League, the Sabres were victorious with a 31-7 win.
Sabres Capture First
Provincial Championships
The Provincial Finals saw
the Sabres pitted against the Cochrane Cobras. Prior to 2006, the
Cobras were four-time consecutive Tier III Alberta Champions and
formidable opponents. The final was played on an icy, snow covered Norm
Brown Field. With minutes left in the fourth quarter the score was tied
8 to 8. The Sabre’s quarterback changed the play call sent by Head
Coach Don Loov and instead called and completed a 40-yard pass/run play
for the go-ahead touchdown. The successful convert kick made the score
15-8. After the kick-off, the Cobras were not able to advance the ball
and had to punt. In the 70 seconds left to play, there were some very
dramatic moments followed with time-outs after plays. After the last
time-out the play call by the Sabres was to “run back into our end zone,
use up as much of the clock as possible and concede a safety”. A
successful execution made the score 15-10. After receiving the
kick-off, the Cobras had 15 seconds to attempt two plays. Both were
stopped by the Sabres defence. Final score was Sabres 15 and Cobras 10,
and the Sabres became Provincial Champions. With the undefeated season
the Sabres removed the “Un” letters in their season-long slogan to read
“Finished Business”.
2006 Sabres "Finished
Business"
Nine Sabres were named
CAHSFL All-Stars and Head Coach Don Loov was awarded the Tier III Coach
of the Year honours at the 44th Annual Football Alberta Coaches’ Clinic
and Awards. Eight Sabres were invited to try-outs for the All-Star team
for Football Alberta’s Senior Bowl North Team, and three made the North
All-Star Team. Two of the Sabres seniors from the 2006 team played
Junior and University Football. Several of the players from the 2006
team assisted with coaching Wetaskiwin Minor Football after their WCHS
football career.
The 2006 team record was
an incredible achievement and very deserving of recognition. These
young men left a legacy that WCHS teams continue to strive to emulate.
They are certainly role models for young Wetaskiwin athletes, and it is a
pleasure to induct them into the Wetaskiwin and County Sports Hall of
Fame.
Team Members: Adam
Bogaerts, Charles Bouchard, Daniel Branco, Edward Brozny, Shane
Cardinal, Brendon Carlson, Matthew Comeau, Michael Comeau, Neil Doty,
Brett Edlund, Justin Franklin, Ryan Gillis, Jonathan Goofers, Thomas
Hutchings, Dustin Hutchinson, Jay Johnson, Jared Jorstad, Kolton Kasur,
Nathan Knull, Matt Lalande, James Lloyd, Andrew Lonsdale, Jason
Lonsdale, Justin Lund, Richard Maher, Connor Mahoney, Wesley Moningka,
Jimmy Niwa, Tayler Ostapowich, Kenton Paul, Nathan Rain, Brendan Ross,
Michael Ruttan, Ryan Shantz, Steven Shaw, Darby Soop, Justin Sudsbear,
Andrew Triffo, Jordan Turney, Kody Vaudry, Tommy Whitebear, Joshua
Woitt, Brandon Zerebeski
Coaches: Don Loov, Kevin
Gibson, Rob Cross, James Fuss, Curtis Huculak, Colin Loov, Shane
Sudsbear Trainers: Bruce Heggerud, Charlene Hutchinson Managers: Laura Mahoney, Brian Paul Pictures: Dorothy Reich
Read
this team's acceptance speech.
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